Certain embodiments of the invention relate to telephony systems. More specifically, certain embodiments of the invention relate to a method and system for 7-digit dialing in 10-digit mandatory dialing areas.
The proliferation of the telephone and telephone related devices such as the facsimile, IP telephones and cellular telephones, has resulted in the exhaustion of directory numbers (DNs) which are assigned to these devices. As the number of telephone subscribers continues to grow, new directory numbers will have to be assigned to these subscribers, and problems associated with directory number exhaustion will be greatly exacerbated.
In general, a directory number may consist of 10 digits, including an area code, an exchange code and a subscriber code. For example, a 10-digit directory number may be represented as XXX-YYY-ZZZZ, where:
XXX represents a 3-digit area code;
YYY represents a 3-digit exchange code; and
ZZZZ represents a 4-digit subscriber code.
Within a particular exchange, the combination of the 3-digit exchange code YYY and the 4-digit subscriber code ZZZZ may uniquely identify a subscriber within the exchange. Within the particular area or region, the combination of the 3-digit area code, the 3-digit exchange code YYY and the 4-digit subscriber code ZZZZ may uniquely identify a subscriber within the area.
In some geographical areas, within a particular exchange, instead of dialing all 10 digits if the directory number, the last seven (7) digits of the directory number may be used to dial a subscriber. This may be especially true in low to moderately populated metropolitan areas. However, in more densely populated regions, due to number exhaustion, it may be mandatory to dial all ten (10) digits of a directory number in order to complete a call to a subscriber. Although mandatory dialing may work fine, some subscribers may find it annoying and unnecessary. This annoyance may be further aggravated in instances where a subscriber may have to dial a plurality of directory numbers.
Further limitations and disadvantages of conventional and traditional approaches will become apparent to one of skill in the art, through comparison of such systems with some aspects of the present invention as set forth in the remainder of the present application with reference to the drawings.